How many times have you visited your local nursery to look at all the beautiful trees, shrubs and perennials and felt completely at loose ends about selecting the perfect plants for your home?

When I bought my first house I was totally overwhelmed in trying to transform my bare yard into a place of beauty.I loved my new home but I had very little knowledge about landscaping or plants.

The neighborhood was dotted with homes that offered stunning landscapes and breathtaking gardens, but mine was nowhere near this starting out.

The difficulty of transforming my new yard is what eventually propelled me to earn my degree in Landscape Architecture at Rutgers University.

Why doesn’t anyone tell you just how difficult it is to get everything right? There are numerous problems you can run into with landscape design. It's easy to make mistakes and waste money (and serious time) on a poor design. You have to worry about all the following...

Type of Plants

Number of Plants

Plant Sizes

Design Layouts

Low Maintenance

Plus...there are all these concerns. (And rightfully so!)

What if the plants get overgrown and just look a mess? This can happen if you buy the wrong plants for the wrong places.

Speaking of the wrong place, how do you know whether a plant likes sun or shade or something in between? When you are buying a lot of plants, you can easily make a mistake in this area. You can just about say goodbye if you put a shrub that likes sun in a shady spot. Not good!

And what about deer? I like looking at deer as much as the next person but certainly don’t want them to have my costly plants for lunch!

What if the plantings become a maintenance nightmare? Most people want a design that looks great, provides color and interest, and is striking. BUT, you don’t want one that you become a slave to by having to trim the shrubs, water constantly, clean up after, etc.

And another very important concern....after spending all the time, effort and money on new plantings, what if it just doesn't look like you hoped and dreamed?!

The Solution

A Package of Professional Landscape Designs by

Susan Schlenger

Award Winning Designer

These plans are perfect for you if you live in Zones 3 - 7

shown below in green.

Do you envision a landscape like those you see displayed on the pages of home and garden magazines?

Do you want your landscape to be visually exciting and full of seasonal color?

Do you want to increase the property value of your home?

Before

After

Value in Landscaping

There was a study done by the American Society of Landscape Architects in conjunction with Money Magazine. A recovery value of 100% to 200% of landscaping costs can be gained when you sell you home.

Why I Created My Landscape Design Package

This was created to help people who:

Would love to have a professionally landscaped look

Do not have the budget for a completely customized design.

My NewLandscape Design Package

This is a set of professional, easy-to-use and affordable design plans which include sun and shade conditions, plant sizes, plant varieties, seasonal color, deer issues, plant substitutions, scaled drawings and plant lists with details for implementation.

Visit the FAQ section located at the bottom of this page.

What You Will Receive:

Package of 5 beautiful, easy-to-follow front yard designs that I created myself. Each package is based on whether your front yard favors sun or shade.

Professional drawings completely executed to scale so that everything can be measured out accurately.

Directions for printing design.

All plants labeled on the designs.

A complete plant list for each design

Plant names, quantities and recommended purchase sizes.

Planting zones for each plant, along with how to find your planting zone.

Growing conditions for each plant - sunny, shady or part sun/part shade. (This is a double check.)

Mature height and width of each plant listed.

Plant substitutions for plants that are not deer resistant.Plant substitutions for unavailable plants.

Directions for planting, mulching and watering.

Full color photos of every plant.

Sample Drawing(Plant photos are included but are on a separate sheet to save on printing costs for you.)

How Much Does This

Landscape Design Package Cost?

It costs less than if you hired me to do a professional design for you. (Custom designs start at $500)

$197.00

Mostly Sunny Conditions

Mostly Shady Conditions

Credentials, Experience and Recognition

Featured in the following magazines and TV show

My name is Susan Schlenger. I am a professional landscape designer possessing more than 20 years of experience in designing versatile gardens and breathtaking landscapes for properties across the United States.

Many of my designs incorporate features such as exciting plantings, walls, walkways, ponds, pools, patios, pergolas, decks, and driveways. Here is a brief summary of my professional background.

Produced front yard planting design makeover for This Old House Magazine.

This Old House Magazine, October 2016

Designed by Susan Schlenger

Interviewed for the Website by home improvement TV host, Bob Vila.

Featured on the Nate Berkus Show.

Featured in the luxury-lifestyle magazine, Robb Report.

Attracted an average of 53,000 visitors per month on my Website.

Followed by more than 7000 people on my Pinterest page.

Received more than 500 referrals on my LinkedIn page

Obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Landscape Architecture from Rutgers University.

Created thousands of landscape designs for residential and corporate clients across the country.

Received numerous landscape design awards for gardens, plantings and pools.

Client Testimonials

"I was so thrilled about my experience with Susan that I have to share it! Not only did Susan come up with a design that gave me everything I wanted, she also gave me what’s most important…every person I have shown her design to has said “wow”."Margaret, Albany, NY

"Susan,Thank you for all that you did to help beautify our little plot of paradise. We enjoyed working with you – thanks.Ken, New York State"

"Oh my!!!!!!!!!! It is beautiful."Lori, Indiana

"Oh, Susan!We do LOVE this design. It's everything that I wanted. I completely love that you've integrated Grasses and Roses and Purple Coneflower and Salvia and oh it will be beautiful. I cannot wait to have it completed! Thank you!"Jill, Maryland

"It was a very easy process and I am so pleased with the design and grateful for the exact plant sizes; I think it will be beautiful. It was a real pleasure working with you as well, Susan! Again I'm really happy about how it turned out and I appreciate the opportunity to ask additional questions if I need to later."Kimberly, Conn.

"Susan, what a pleasure it was to work with you. You made me feel like I was your only client - responding late at night and always so quickly! Your design is amazing and we only hope we can do justice to it when we plant. You have such fantastic ideas and you are so open to suggestions and changes. Loved working with you - now if you could only come to Canada and plant it!!!"Helen, Ontario-Canada

"Susan,Many, many thanks for your brilliant design and incredibly patient and insightful help! I could not have done this any other way."Elise, New York

"Hi Susan,Thank you for putting so much thought into the design. We really like it, especially the curvilinear shape with clean lines. I love the curved seat wall and hypothetical placement of furniture, the shape of the path, etc."Elaine, Pennsylvania

"Susan,I want to let you know that we are very happy with your design and we are enjoying watching it all grow. We have received many compliments."Michael, NY

$197.00

(Custom designs start at $500)

Mostly Sunny Conditions

Mostly Shady Conditions

Have Questions?

FAQ’s

• What do I do if the length of my house is different than the design I chose to use?

You will need to add or subtract plants so that they will fit. For example, if there are 6, 3' wide Boxwood to the right of your front door, and your house is 6 feet longer than shown on the plan, you would add two additional Boxwood. The same goes for any plants in the next layer. Drawings are done completely to scale so that you can measure anything you like.

• How can I be sure the deer won’t eat the plants?

I would never want this to happen! So I have provided a list of plants that deer like to eat and substitutions for each of these plants with plants that deer generally stay away from.

• What if a plant on the list is not available?

Most of the plants should be readily available, but in case you cannot find some of them, I have provided a separate list with substitutions for every plant in the designs. In addition, you will find mature heights and widths for each recommended plant.

• Should I choose the Sunny or Shady package?

Generally, if you get at least 4 hours of sun per day, you should choose the sunny package. If you get 3 to 4 hours of sun or less, choose the one for shade.

• What if my area is mostly sunny but I do have some shady areas?

On the plant list, you will find the sun/shade conditions for each plant. Therefore, you can substitute plants that like sunny conditions with a few that like the shade.

• What if my area is mostly shady but I do have some sunny areas?

Same as above but in reverse!

• How do I print out the drawing?

The drawings are in PDF format. Send the drawing file to a printer, such as Staples. You can also put it on a zip drive and bring it to the printer.

• How do I make sure the drawing I print out is to scale so that everything fits correctly?

There is a scale bar at the bottom of the drawing which you can check. Directions are provided.

• Can I buy different plant sizes other than what is specified on the list?

Yes. The sizes to buy the plants at are just my recommendations.

• How do I measure out where the plants go?

The designs are drawn to scale at 1"=10'. Everything on the drawing can be measured.

• Will the plants get too large for their spaces?

No. The plants are drawn at or near their mature sizes and I have selected the right sized plants for typical front yards. I have also provided all the plants' heights and widths, so if you have an unusual situation, you can check this and adjust as necessary. This will typically not be necessary. There are just a few plants in the the designs that will need some trimming, but not many.

• How do I know how to water my plants and how much they need?

I have provided detailed instructions.

• How do I plant the plants and do I need to change or add to the existing soil?

I have provided detailed instructions.

• How much care do the plants take? I want low maintenance!

Most of the plants are definitely low maintenance. Perennials need to be cut down once per year, either in the fall or spring.

• Will I have to trim the plants? Should I?

This will typically not be necessary, except for a stray branches. I don't like trimming plants either! There are just a few on the lists that will need some trimming, but hardly any.

• How do I know how to create the beds so that they follow the plan?

All beds can be measured out since the drawings are done to scale.

• How do I know how to space the plants?

They can be measured out on the design which is drawn to scale. Measurements should be from plant center to plant center.

• Will I have color throughout the seasons?

Yes! The designs are created so that you will have lots of color with a mix of perennials, flowering shrubs, evergreen shrubs, flowering or colorful trees and ground cover. If you look at the designs on my website, you will see that I love color!

• How do I know what the plants look like?

I know you can always Google a plant, but how tedious! I have provided plant photos for every plant in the designs!

• Who is this NOT for?

This product is not for you if you want a completely customized design. Although the designs offered will fit many types of houses, some people may have to adjust slightly, as mentioned above. For a customized design, please contact me.